The First Of Us - Joel's Story
by TicTacToeUK
Summary: Joel wakes up in a very different world from the one he fell asleep in... This is a prequel to the game, and as such if you have played beyond the first couple of cut scenes there will be no spoilers. The story is now complete, so I hope you enjoyed it ! Let me know any thoughts you have about it. I of course do not own any of the characters included in this short story.
1. Chapter 1

"What the ..."

I return to consciousness with a start; the TV suddenly much louder than it had been; an advert playing dance music whilst showing flashing images of a car.

I look around, momentarily disorientated, and I realise that I must've fallen asleep whilst watching the game. The room is dark, the TV casting dancing shadows on the walls. I check my watch. It is late. Ah man, I've missed the end of game. What was the score ?

I rub my eyes then I let pull my fingers down to my beard, rubbing my face to try to wake me up. I look around again, and although I still feel groggy I can't help wondering if I should get another beer from the fridge.

_No_

Instead I fumble around for the TV remote. It's down the side of the couch. It always is. I change channels to the local news station, hoping to catch up with the final score of the game.

"...outbreak in several cities, the governor has now called for calm..."

_No, that's not sport_

I take no notice of the pictures or the sound. I keep channel surfing through the news services.

"... The President has ordered all flights to be grounded..."

Click.

"...THEY WERE EVERYWHERE MAN !"

This last outburst causes me to pause and become more focused - it is coming from a hysterical reporter whose tie is missing and his jacket is torn and covered with blood.

I recognise this guy from other broadcasts, but even so I check the station number, making sure it is definitely live news and not some spoof. It is. I watch for several minutes as sketchy and often contradictory reports are being shown.

_What madness is going on ?_

I get up off the couch and head into the kitchen to phone my brother.

_Tommy might have more information_

As I pick up the mobile I hear a loud crash coming from nearby outside. It sounds like something in the garden. Without thinking I put the mobile back down on the counter without completing the call, and walk slowly to the sliding glass door which leads to the back garden. I undo the lock and open it a crack. I listen. There are sounds of commotion coming from several directions; frantic shouts of several neighbours hurriedly packing things into their cars, shouting at each other what to take and what to leave. Tyres screeching. A very distant crack rings out. I've heard that sound enough times to know it's a gunshot.

_The world has gone crazy_

I close the door and go to stand back in front of the TV; the confusing advice is to either leave or stay - depending on which talking head is given airtime at any given moment. I do not know what I should do - how could I possibly ? Should I go and wake my daughter Sarah up or should to wait until morning when it make all make more sense. I walk through the house to the bottom of the stairs. I hesitate and listen upstairs. All is quiet.

_Sarah sleeping soundly_

This can wait until the morning I decide. Better to make a decision in the light of day.

_24 hours news channels making something else seem more dramatic than it actually is..._

"ARRGHHH". My chain of thought is broken by the sharp high pitched scream. It is coming from a woman on the street outside in front of my house. I rush to the front door and open it. I should not have...


	2. Chapter 2

In amongst the chaos on the road directly outside the house I can see a car has stopped. It's half parked on the sidewalk at a strange angle. The headlights are blazing, pointing partially into my garden. The engine is being revved to the point of breaking, but it isn't going anywhere. The screams I had heard are coming from a woman inside the car; the window cracked open a fraction. There is a man on the bonnet, smashing his fists against windscreen.

"Hey !" I call out. No response.

I move out onto the front lawn. I pull the door closed behind me.

"HEY ! STOP !" I shout louder this time. I look up and down the street, no one else is taking any notice.

"Please help me - he's gone mad" cried the woman.

Now the crazed man on the bonnet pauses and stops smashing his fists against the windscreen. He looks in my direction.

_Wait. Isn't that my neighbour Jimmy Cooper ?_

The man smirks an evil grin. Blood dripping from a wound in his face. His eyes wild.

Now he has stopped thrashing I get a better look at the man; I'm certain it is Jimmy Cooper. He is normally very mild mannered.

Not only that, the woman in the car is his wife.

"Cooper ? What are you doing man ?" I say, trying to remain calm now that I have his attention.

Jimmy Cooper immediately jumps from the car and stands straight up facing me on the sidewalk - his head held at a strange angle to his left side. I absently notice that he is still wearing his office work clothes, although his blue shirt is covered in blood. I suspect that not all of it is his own.

As soon as the man gets clear of the car, Mrs Cooper floors the car's accelerator, and with a screech of tyres the car disappears down the road.

"Hey...wait !", I shout. I may as we'll not have bothered; the car is already turning at the junction at the end of the street.

I look back at Jimmy Cooper who has not moved since jumping onto the pavement.

Suddenly Cooper makes a move, lunging toward me. He covers the distance between us in seconds. His arms are outstretched, and there is saliva dripping from his open mouth. The force of the collision knocks both of us to the ground, and we start to wrestle.

_He's strong_

Within seconds Cooper has me almost beaten. He sits on top of me, and it's all I can do to resort to using both hands to keep Cooper's blood dripping mouth away from my face.

_My god_

I frantically search for anything to give me the upper hand. I look from side to side for anything I can use as a weapon. There is nothing.

Cooper relents for the briefest of moments; trying to shift his weight to get some leverage with his feet against the slippery grass.

_This is my chance_

I let go of him with my right hand, immediately swinging a punch. As I am lying flat on my back the blow is not as hard as I would like, but it is enough to catch Cooper by surprise and to start to fall backwards, partially off my body. I want to continue this movement so I roll onto my side, causing Cooper's own momentum to force him off me. He ends up lying on his side, and I am clear.

I get to my feet quickly - quicker than Cooper can manage. He is still on all fours when I swing a kick into his body. I kick him hard. I can hear the air being knocked out of the man. He does not crumple though.

_Must get away while I can_

Whilst my opponent is still on the floor, I run back towards the closed front door. I reach it just as Cooper is getting up.

_Locked _

I fumble in my pockets. No keys. I turn back around.

_Brilliant_

Cooper puts his head back and screams as loudly as his vocal chords can manage. He then starts towards me. I can't let this maniac into the house with Sarah.

_Gotta lead him away_

I look left, past my own property, and start running towards Cooper's own house, the crazed man following directly behind me.


	3. Chapter 3

I run across my front lawn, past the flowers I planted last spring, and without breaking stride I vault over the low fence which separates my garden from Cooper's. Cooper is fast - very fast, but in his crazed state he seems to be very clumsy so he does not make the leap over the fence after me. He is not even close. He stumbles over the waist high fence and falls; once again lying flat on the ground.

I'm in his garden now, but I do not slow down; even when I hear a crash coming from beyond Cooper's open front door when I rush by. I do not stop; instead I jump over the fence into the following garden in an attempt to get away from Cooper.

_Gotta hide_

The adrenalin is coursing through my body but I'm starting to be out of breath, so I take a second to look behind me properly for the first time. In the darkness I can make out Cooper getting back to his feet, but I'm starting to put some distance between us.

I keep running until I reach the far edge of the house I am next to now. I absently try to remember what they call the guy who lives here - Robson, Robertson...no...it's Robinson, I remember. I never really have had much to do with him, other than the odd wave when we pass in our cars on the way to wherever.

I duck around the corner without checking again to see if Cooper is still following.

_Gotta hide_

I make my way along the side of the house in the shadows, towards the back garden. Propped up against the edge of the wall is a broom. I stop again to check behind me. All is quiet near by; just the constant sound of chaos in the distance. The broom is too long to be an effective weapon - too unbalanced. I need something to give me an advantage though, so I improvise. Making sure it is firmly angled against the wall I kick sharply downwards in the middle of the handle. It splinters into two rough halves with a loud crack.

_Too loud_

I pick the half of the shattered wooden shank that does not have the broom on it and make my way onwards, into the back garden. I look around. There are no lights on in the house. In the garden from what I can see there is very little cover. Away from the street lights behind the house it was very dark. Across the neatly cut lawn I can see a small shed in one corner, surrounded on one side by a tall tree and on the other side by waist high shrubs. I hear noise behind me. This seems to be my only option. I run across the grass and jump behind the plants, crouching next to the shed wall.

In the moonlight I check my watch. Only five minutes have past since I opened my front door. It seems like a lifetime ago.

I wait and stare out into the garden, looking beyond Coopers garden towards my own house. I cannot see much through the trees but I think I see a light come on in the upstairs corner. Sarah's room. Sarah's awake.

_Gotta get back home. Now._

I cannot see much around me so I concentrate hard - listening to all of the sounds around me.

I can hear footsteps approaching from the front of the house.

_Cooper_

From Cooper's garden I can hear something else - a low constant growl along with movement.

A dog ? I don't think the Cooper's have a dog

There's something else too...something...

Before I can even finish the thought something falls out of the tree on the other side of the shed I am hiding behind.

A man lands flat on his back; swearing loudly as he lands.

The new comer sits up. I instinctively start to move out from my hiding spot. I recognise him - it's Robinson, the guy who lives here. The man hears me come from behind the bushes, and turns to look at me, fear etched into his face "please...please don't hurt me...I just want to hide..."

I start to answer but the moment is broken by fast movement coming from the side of the house.

Cooper

The crazed maniac bursts into the area, charging straight for the sitting man. Cooper doesn't see me. I duck back down into my hiding place, feeling immediately cowardly. It's clear though; tonight it's every man for himself, and I've got to get back to Sarah.

Robinson turns away from me, staring at the oncoming Cooper. He does not even speak by the time Cooper barrels into him. The two men tangle in combat; the terrified man is no match for Cooper. The battle does not last long. Cooper ends up straddling the body; his back towards me.

Now is my chance

I quietly move out away from the cover of the shed. My broom handle weapon held ready over my head. Cooper still hasn't heard me. I inch closer, but a noise behind us makes me freeze. I glance over my shoulder - what I see makes my blood runs cold. I immediately know moving out into the open was wrong. It's my first mistake of the night. It pray it is not the last I will ever make...


	4. Chapter 4

From behind the tree I see a small boy. He has the same look in his eye as Cooper. I recognise him. He is one of Cooper's twins. He is wearing his little league uniform. The fact that he has been infected with whatever has gotten Cooper is not shocking. The thing that has me unable to move is that from his neck down to his knees the kid's uniform seems to be completely soaked in blood. He is dragging what appears to be a torn up lumberjack shirt. It is clearly not his own. I find it a chilling sight.

_At least I now know why Robinson was up there. He was obviously trying to get away from this kid_

The boy is very quiet as he moves out onto the grass. He stops. Doesn't move - keeping his eyes on me. I glance back. Cooper is mirroring his movements. I'm directly in between the pair of them. Both of the figures are staring intently at me.

I know I cannot outrun them and make it out of the garden. I feel panic starting to rise.

_This is how Robinson must have felt_

I force myself to concentrate. I have one option and I take it quickly. I cover the short distance to the shed door, praying it isn't locked. It's open. The two infected figures still haven't moved - they eye me like a lion eyes it's next meal. I get the door open as they finally decide to strike, but I get the door closed just as they reach it. I drop my wooden handle weapon on to the floor.

It's completely black in the shed; there are no windows and I fumble for a light switch whilst putting my weight against the door to stop the two getting in. The door is being pounded, and the screams coming beyond it are terrifying.

I find the light switch, and after switching it on I can see that there is a bolt on the inside of the door. I struggle to get the bolt closed and step back away from the door as the pounding continues on it. It seems like it will hold, but not for long.

I take a few seconds to try to compose myself.

_How could this happen ?_

I look around the shed; I may be temporarily safe, but I am also completely trapped. After a quick search I have a plan. I find some nails and even a pair of scissors lying on a work bench. I pick up my wooden shank, and using some duct tape which I have also found I start to bind the spikes onto the end of the wood.

_Upgraded_

It's not perfect, and it's certainly not going to last long - but I now feel like I have a better weapon so I can at least try to defend myself.

It's only when I have finished that I realise that the banging on the door has stopped. I was concentrating so much on trying to craft something from the pieces of junk I have found that I have no idea how long it has been quiet. I find that the silence is actually worse than the constant noise; at least I knew where the maniacs were - now doubt creeps in. Are they still outside, just waiting for me to come out ? Have they moved away, on to their next victim ?

_I can't wait this out_

I need to get back to Sarah; it's my only priority, so after a couple of practice swings with my newly formed weapon I unbolt the door as quietly as I can, then let the door swing open...


	5. Chapter 5

The garden seems quiet. I can't see either the boy or Cooper from my vantage point standing just inside the shed doorway. Clouds move across the moon, momentarily making everywhere even duller than it was before. I creep out of the doorway onto the grass. Even this single step seems to be deafening in the silence of the garden; the grass crunching under my foot.

_Slowly. Be Careful_

Shank at the ready I quickly check either side of the shed. No one there. I look around. I have two choices to get back home to Sarah; I can either go back around to the front garden - back the way I came, or I can take the far shorter route - over the back fences firstly into Cooper's garden and then on into my own. The fences are higher than in the front, made up of closely fitting vertical wooden planks; maybe shoulder high. I should be able to get over them, but the front option means I can move faster and there are more hiding places if I need them. I stand for what feels like minutes trying to decide, but the sight of a what I think is a shadow of a figure shambling around from the front makes up my mind quickly - it grows larger. It must be Cooper, I tell myself. Decision made; I will take the shortest option. I don't care where the kid is. I run. The time for stealth is over.

I make it to the fence and take a running leap. I miss time it. I don't make it over but end up half way there - my legs dangling one side, the rest of my body on the other. I struggle for a second, trying to get balanced to get my legs over while holding tightly to my makeshift weapon. I imagine Cooper is right behind me. I start to panic when I feel something grab at my ankles. It's not Cooper - it's not strong enough.

The boy

I kick out blindly but I don't connect. I don't have a good hold of the fence; I'm completely unbalanced, so I feel myself getting dragged back. I look over my shoulder and see the boy - Cooper is no where to be seen. All I can manage is a desperate one handed swing with the improvised club. I connect with the boy. I'm not sure where I hit him but it is enough to make him release me. He screams with rage. One of my stuck on 'improvements' must have hit. I feel my weapon being yanked from my hand as he goes down. I have no desire to fall back into the garden with the kid so I let go of it. I quickly push myself further over the fence and end up half falling into Cooper's garden.

_No serious injuries - Get up_

I get back to my feet. I feel slightly dazed after the fall - the wind knocked out of me. I take a few deep breaths to clear my head and I look around. Coopers' garden is entirely covered in grass. No plants. No trees. I remember he told me once that he hated gardening. In terms of shape it is a mirror image of my own garden. I start to jog across the lawn towards the fence that separates his garden from mine. It is the same as the one I have just gotten over and I want to try to time my jump better than I just have. I only make it half way there when Cooper bursts out from the side of his house, arms outstretched. He seems more crazed than before and he runs at me at full speed. No time for finesse for this leap. I start to sprint as if my life depends on it.

_It probably does_

I'm within touching distance of the fence when I feel a tremendous force knock into me, partially spinning me around. Cooper has me, our combined momentum taking us both straight into the fence.

We both hit it together, my head gets jolted back and the world fades to black...


	6. Chapter 6

I come to, what must be only seconds later, lying flat out in my own garden. We must have hit a weak spot in the fence as we both crashed straight through it. I'm dazed. Surrounded by wood splinters. I don't move but I look around - my house lights are on.

_Sarah is up_

A noise very close by finally brings me to my senses. I turn my head to the other side; it's Cooper starting to stir. I stagger to my feet, I think about taking my chance to attack him but I immediately realise that my chance has gone - he is also getting to his feet. His eyes once again fix onto me. I remember that I had left the back door open earlier on and so I run for the house.

I hope none of these crazies is in there with Sarah.

I make it to the door and slide it open. I hurriedly close it after me. Sarah is standing there; she looks shocked and she looks alert. She's probably been awake for some time. She's probably been looking for me.

"Has anyone come in here" I ask. She looks shocked.

I tell Sarah to stay away from the door, to get back. While I go to the drawer and get my gun. She asks me what's going on. Truth is, I don't know, so I tell her the Coopers are sick. I check the gun and load it. The door shatters behind me and the now familiar figure staggers slightly as he enters the room.

_Cooper_

I push Sarah behind me.

"Jimmy, Stay back", I warn.

There's no response, but to be honest I didn't expect one. Cooper comes nearer. I've never shot anyone, or even pointed the gun at a living thing. I never thought I would. Cooper doesn't get a second warning, I've seen what this guy can do.

I raise my gun.

Point blank.

I aim at his head.

I pull the trigger...


End file.
